How a Yellowstone Cast Member Discovered Their Character Was Killed Off in Final Season

Dawn Olivieri, who played the conniving Sarah Atwood on Season 5 of Yellowstone, is breaking her silence about her character’s shocking demise. In the latest episode, Sarah was killed off in a dramatic twist that fans didn’t see coming—and apparently, neither did Olivieri.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Olivieri revealed she found out about her character’s fate in the most unexpected way: by reading the script. “It kind of rolls like everybody else’s; you read it, usually,” she shared. Reflecting on her history with on-screen deaths, she joked, “For a long time in my career, I play a really good character to kill.”

This isn’t Olivieri’s first death in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe. She also portrayed Claire Dutton in the prequel series 1883, a role that met an equally grim end. However, Olivieri remains optimistic about Sheridan’s approach. “Taylor is special, he has been for me, because a death for me just means a life somewhere else,” she explained. “He immediately moved me to another show. So, it’s a fun thing to read and then be like, ‘Oh, I’m doing a different thing now.’”

In one of the season’s most jaw-dropping revelations, Sarah was revealed to have orchestrated the hit on John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner. Olivieri admitted she had no idea her character would become such a pivotal antagonist. “That I was going to be the most hated villain in all of the world? No, (laughs) I didn’t know that,” she said.

She also shared some behind-the-scenes details about how her character’s arc was originally planned to continue into the next season but was abruptly altered due to the show’s accelerated production. “I believe I was meant to go into the next season and continue on as a character,” she said. “Because of the situation, everything got changed around. The storyline had to go full throttle to figure out how to tie up every end and move things along.”

Despite her character’s untimely end, Olivieri sees the role as a standout moment in her career. “I’m grateful. It’s a pretty monumental role that I think goes down in history in a way because of what happened and how it played out,” she concluded.

What are your thoughts on Sarah Atwood’s shocking end and Dawn Olivieri’s take on her villainous role? Let us know in the comments below and share your favorite Yellowstone moments!